Centaury

Scientific Name(s): Centaurium erythraea Rafn.
Common Name(s): Bitter herb, Centaurri herba, Centaury, Centaury gentian, Centaury herb, Christ's ladder, Common centaury, Feverfoullie, Feverwort, Filwort, Lesser centaury, Minor centaury, Mraret lahnach, Red centaury

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 22, 2024.

Clinical Overview

Use

Centaury has been used traditionally to treat snakebite, fever, anorexia, jaundice, and GI complaints such as bloating, dyspepsia, and flatulence. It also has been used as a sedative, as well as topically for freckles and spots. Centaury is reputed to be an aromatic bitter and tonic, and to act on the liver and kidneys to "purify the blood." However, there are no clinical data to support use for any indication.

Dosing

There is no published clinical evidence to guide dosing of centaury.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

There are no known adverse reactions.

Toxicology

No data.

Scientific Family

• Gentianaceae (gentian)

Botany

Centaurium consists of approximately 40 species (annuals or biennials) that vary according to various factors such as region and size. Examples include Centaurium spicatum (Australian species), Erythraea latifolia (broad-leaved centaury), and the German species Centaurium pulchellum (dwarf centaury) and Centaurium vulgare. The latter 2 have similar effects to C. erythraea but are more scarce and therefore not used for medicinal purposes.

Centaury is a small, annual herb native to Europe and naturalized in the United States. It thrives in boggy meadows as well as in dry dunes. Its stiff, square stem ranges from approximately 2 to 50 cm in height. The root is fibrous and woody. The plant has pale green, oval leaves, a capsule fruit, and light pink to red flowers. The whole herb (Centaurii herba) is used medicinally. The dried preparation is easily identified by red particles (dried flower) among the pale green leaf matter.(Osol 1955, USDA 2021, Weiss 2000) Synonyms are Erythraea centaurium, Centaurium umbellatum Gilbert, and Centaurium minus Moench.

History

Centaury has been used traditionally since the 10th century, possibly even by Saxon herbalists, for treating fever; hence the common name "feverwort." It was described as early as the first century AD by Dioscorides.(El Menyiy 2021) Traditionally, centaury has been used as a remedy for snakebite, anorexia, and GI complaints such as bloating, dyspepsia, and flatulence. It is reputed to be an aromatic bitter and tonic, and to act on the liver and kidneys to "purify the blood." Centaury has been used for its anthelminthic and sedative properties, for the treatment of jaundice, and topically for freckles and spots on the skin.(Blumenthal 1998, Duke 2002, Newall 1996) A secoiridoid found in C. erythraea has been approved in China for the treatment of acute jaundice and chronic hepatitis.(Guedes 2019)

Chemistry

Alkaloids, xanthones, and phenolic acids have been identified, and are similar to those of gentian. Triterpenoids and sterols including amyrin, crataegolic and oleanic acids, erythrodiol, and sitosterol stigmasterol, campesterol, and brassicasterol have also been described. Other components of the plant include flavonoids, fatty acids, alkenes, waxes, resins, and essential oil. The main components isolated from C. erythraea include xanthonoids and secoiridoids.(Aberham 2011, Barillas 2000, Duke 1992, El Menyiy 2021, Glatz 2000, Schmidt 2000, Valentao 2000)

Uses and Pharmacology

Pharmacological experiments reveal various biological effects of C. erythraea, including antioxidant, antifungal, antileishmanial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, dermatoprotective, gastroprotective, spasmolytic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and diuretic effects.(El Menyiy 2021, Haloui 2000)

Antibacterial/Antifungal activity

In vitro data

Activity against microorganisms has been demonstrated. Certain xanthones from C. erythraea may possess antimutagenic actions against several strains of Salmonella typhimurium(Schimmer 1996); it should be noted that mutagenicity has been demonstrated for methanolic extracts of the related product gentian (Gentiana lutea L.).(WHO 1999) Antibacterial effects against some gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria have also been demonstrated. Similarly, antifungal effects have been demonstrated.(El Menyiy 2021)

Antihypertensive effects

Animal data

In a murine model, a methanolic fraction of C. erythraea produced antihypertensive effects through promotion of endothelium-dependent vasodilation and prevention of fibroblast proliferation resulting from angiotensin II.(Chda 2020)

Anti-inflammatory/Antipyretic effects

Animal data

Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic, but not analgesic, actions of aqueous extracts of the plant have been demonstrated in several animal models.(Berkan 1991, Lacroix 1973)

Diabetes

Animal and in vitro data

In a systematic review of medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes, the chloroform extract of C. erythraea inhibited alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. A hydroalcoholic extract of C. erythraea lowered glucose levels in mice with type 2 diabetes.(Hamza 2019) In an animal model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, a methanolic extract of C. erythraea given daily increased insulin concentrations, decreased glucose levels, decreased hemoglobin A_1c levels, and improved lipid panels. It also protected red blood cells from oxidative damage.(Đorđević 2017) In another study, an extract of C. erythraea improved the structure and function of pancreatic beta cells in animals with streptozocin-induced diabetes.(Đorđević 2019)

Enzyme inhibitory activity

In vitro data

Decoctions of C. erythraea exerted inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase.(Guedes 2019)

Dosing

There is no published clinical evidence to guide dosing of centaury.

Related/similar drugs

turmeric, Ginkgo Biloba, creatine

Pregnancy / Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.(Duke 2002, Newall 1996)

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Information is lacking.(Blumenthal 1998, Duke 2002) A case report of hepatotoxicity exists; however, causality was not established.(Stahlmann 2012, Sychev 2011)

Toxicology

Information is limited. Mutagenicity has been demonstrated for methanolic extracts of the related product gentian (G. lutea L.) in Salmonella assays.(WHO 1999) In an acute toxicity study in mice, oral doses of lyophilized C. erythraea up to 15 g/kg did not result in mortality or signs of toxicity; however, intraperitoneal doses were associated with a dose-related increase in mortality rate and acute toxicity, with a calculated median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 12.13 g/kg.(Tahraoui 2010) In a subchronic toxicity study in mice, daily doses of 100, 600, and 1,200 mg/kg for 90 days did not affect hematological or biochemical parameters, except for a small reduction in mean corpuscular volume.(Tahraoui 2010)

Index Terms

• Centaurium minus Moench
• Centaurium pulchellum
• Centaurium spicatum
• Centaurium umbellatum Gilbert
• Erythraea centaurium
• Erythraea latifolia

References

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